Paul offers three OT references to his audience as he delivers the gospel. His reasoning is that the covenant promises made to David were firstly widened to national Israel then to the true Israel. The blessings promised include forgiveness and life everlasting, and the evidence is seen in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Everyone who has ever died, including David, have suffered corruption in Hades, the grave. Yet the way for our resurrection was paved by Jesus when he raised himself from the dead.

Barnabas and Saul are called by a Roman official to share the gospel with him, a golden opportunity. They are opposed by another court official, a false prophet, but the Holy Spirit through Saul—or Paul, as he was to become—put an end to his opposition.The conversion of the Roman proconsul is the focus, though. It can be seen what the gospel was which he believed, why it took place when it did, and what the ultimate cause of the conversion was.

In the final instalment of our short series, we come to the Holy Spirit. The most common way of listing the triune persons is in this order, but they are listed in alternative ways in scripture.The Spirit is the only person whose personhood has been questioned. Yet the word of God clearly presents him as a person as much as the Father and Son.In this week's message, we consider his eternal nature, his life-giving and life-upholding power, and the various ways in which he has worked in the hearts of the saints.

The Son of God is considered firstly as God, then a son of the Father. We also consider his roles of messiah and judge.

It would be arrogant to think our doctrines of God adequately describe him. However, the doctrine of the trinity is the formulation which best reflects what we believe revelation tells us. There is one God, but three persons of the same "essence", a philosophical term.The first instalment is about God the Father, and the different types of fatherhood are considered. Principally, he is Father to Christ Jesus, and his fatherhood of the elect is an image of this heavenly relationship.

To be set apart is to be made holy for the Lord's service. Using Saul as an example, we can see how he was set apart from before he was born, set apart in his conversion, and set apart for the gospel.

Herod commits a great offence against God, and the Lord had determined to make an example of him. His crime? Accepting honour due to God alone. An angel afflicts him with a disease from which he soon dies.Rulers, like all men, have a duty to give God the glory in all things. Yet most rulers, like most men, neglect this, to their eternal ruin. God will not share his glory with another or be denied it. However, the Son of God does share it, but this is by virtue of his place within the godhead. The contrast in this story is stark: the voice of Herod is ended, as is whatever pitiful glory he had. Yet the word of God increased! This word of God was not the Bible as such but the preaching of the cross. We see that it is in this figure of the Christ that the glory of God finds its most glorious fulfilment.

On hearing of Peter's imprisonment, the church had gathered for a prayer meeting. Yet when God answers their prayers, they cannot believe it! Is this really a case of lack of faith or something else?It is fairer to them to suggest that they were limiting their prayers to requests which they thought was in accordance with what they knew about God. We do the same, and many of us will testify that God frequently exceeds our expectations.These thoughts lead us naturally to consider two vital factors in prayer: knowing the will of God and having faith that he loves to answer and enjoys surprising us with his answers.

Peter is sprung from jail by an angel, and the event can be compared to the spiritual equivalent whereby a sinner is freed from bondage to sin and Satan.

There's a narrow path which leads to eternal life, and few find themselves on it. There's also a wide road which leads to eternal destruction, and multitudes remain on it their whole lives. Life's biggest question is: which are you on?